Outdoor Adventures on a Budget

Over the last couple of years, the COVID pandemic encouraged people across the UK to look closer to home for their outdoor adventures. Unable to travel abroad, many adventurers decided to explore the wealth of natural attractions we have right here in the British Isles.

However, this year, the cost of living crisis and a looming recession are making people think twice about spending on outdoor getaways. The Telegraph recently highlighted research by the AA that showed people across the country are curbing UK travel, while a survey for the Mirror suggests that spiralling costs are making many reconsider their holiday plans.

With this in mind, we’ve written a guide to organising budget-friendly outdoor adventures in the UK. Featuring advice on planning, accommodation, food and transport, we hope it helps you get maximum value for money when you head off for a hiking, climbing or outdoor activity holiday this year.

Your trip – adventure is everywhere

When you first consider your next outdoor adventure, it’s tempting to dream big and plan the mother of all trips. Seeing Three Peaks participants all over your socials and searching for details on the UK’s other big outdoor challenges doesn’t help. It can often make you feel as though it’s not an adventure unless you’re tearing across the country, scaling multiple peaks and generally putting your body through serious strain. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Adventure can begin in your own back garden – you don’t have to travel far to enjoy the great outdoors.

With this in mind, we think one of the best ways to organise an adventure on a budget is to simplify things. Rather than racing up three peaks, choose one and take your time to explore it thoroughly. Climbing Yr Wyddfa on the Llanberis Path and then returning the next day for a shot at the Snowdon Horseshoe will yield two very different but equally fulfilling experiences.

Sometimes limiting yourself opens up opportunities

Limiting yourself to a smaller area can be remarkably liberating. Instead of fretting over logistics and worrying about how you will travel between multiple locations, you can invest more time exploring one. There’s a lifetime of unfathomably beautiful walks and hikes in Eryri alone. Though many people do – it would be a shame to jet in, climb Yr Wyddfa and then leave without experiencing the rest of the area’s natural splendour.

Devoting a little more time to one place also allows you to dive deeper and seek out things that interest you. We love nothing more than getting the OS map out and poring over footpaths, bridleways and contour lines looking for potential new hiking routes and thrilling adventures. There’s a real buzz when you head out to explore the local landscape on a homebrewed hike. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but the fact that it’s your creation ensures it’s always rewarding.

Getting maximum value from your adventure

At the other end of the spectrum, it’s also worth considering talking to local outdoor experts who know the area better than anyone. Organising a guided adventure for multiple people is an affordable way of gaining a fantastic insight into the local environment and landscapes. While it may be too costly to arrange as an individual, sharing the cost amongst a group of friends is far more realistic and doesn’t have to break the bank.

If you’re looking for ways to get maximum bang for your buck, a guided group excursion could be your best option. With the right group leader, you’ll experience the local area in a way few people do. In places like Eryri, there are endless nuances, details and fascinating sights and sounds that you simply miss if you don’t know the landscape like the back of your hand.

Food – every hiker has to eat

Food is one area where costs can quickly add up if you’re not careful. However, with a little careful planning, there are ways you can minimise spending. We recommend checking out all your food options in advance, as it allows you to rule out places that are way out of your budget. There’s nothing worse than finishing a long day of hiking and rocking up at a pub to find it’s a bit beyond your means. It leads to either a frantic and hangry search for more affordable food or a budget-smashing, guilt-ridden meal. Neither is ideal.

Fortunately, most pubs, restaurants and cafes now post their menus online. If they’re not on their website, someone will have uploaded a photo of the menu on the place’s social media profile, so hop online and check it out. This allows you to plan more effectively and build a list of local eateries you know are budget-friendly.

Camp stove cooking and preparing your own meals

If you’re planning on cooking yourself, there are a few options. Youth hostels and campsites often have cooking facilities, but you can also bring a stove and cookware. If you plan on preparing your own meals, make sure you know where you can resupply. And don’t just assume that the nearest superstore will be the cheapest place to buy your food. Independent market stalls and fruit and veg shops will often match or beat supermarket prices on fresh produce, so don’t dismiss local shops out of hand.

Cooking your own meals does mean you’ll need all the gear. If you don’t already have a stove, gas, pots, pans and utensils, acquiring them can prove prohibitively expensive. There are two ways of looking at this. First, if you think you’ll be heading out on plenty of outdoor adventures in the future, it’s probably worth the investment. Cooking for yourself will save you money in the long run. However, if you’re unsure whether you’ll fully embrace the outdoor lifestyle and think you may only use the equipment once, it may be best to hold off and look for alternative options.

Give your body what it needs

Finally, remember that price and value are two very different things. Often, a fully loaded bap packed with amazing, nutritional, fresh ingredients from a local sandwich shop will do a lot more good than a sorry-looking supermarket equivalent. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking the lowest price is the best value. If it leaves you unsatisfied, you’ll only end up eating more. Always consider nutritional content and think about what your body needs. Outdoor adventures can be demanding!

It’s also possible to prepare a few trail snacks before you leave for your adventure. There are plenty of affordable, tasty and energising recipes to try. We love both these cornflake energy bars and these delicious fig and oat bars in particular, but there are thousands of recipes out there on the internet, so get searching and find something that suits your tastes.

Accommodation – resting your weary legs for less

Accommodation is another sizable expense that can ramp up the price of your outdoor adventure. Fortunately, there are a load of budget-friendly options out there, some of which will see you staying in picturesque spots that take your trip to the next level and beat anything a hotel could offer.

Of course, the less your accommodation costs, the fewer luxuries you can expect. For instance, mountain bothies are typically free to stay in, but you won’t find running water, let alone a shower or wash facilities. You should also be prepared for a pretty “rustic” feel. With accommodation, it’s all about establishing expectations – what’s the minimum you require? Do you want a private room? Or does sharing with others work? Are you a happy camper? Or do you need a proper front door? If you know what level of comfort you need to enjoy the trip, it becomes much easier to budget accordingly.

A shelter suffices

If all you need to have a good time is a shelter that keeps the wet out and the warmth in, there are a few options. As we already mentioned, bothies are a possibility. Here, in Eryri, there are four bothies within easy reach. These shelters are typically designed for single-night stays and hikers passing through. They’re not intended for groups of more than six. Though there aren’t any rules of use as such, there is a loose code of conduct created by the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA). The MBA also has a Bothy Locator page detailing where these buildings are.

Camping is also an excellent option for adventurers on a budget. Inexpensive and regularly situated in spectacular locations that put you within a stone’s throw of some great hiking, campsites are often the best way of balancing cost and comfort. While you can find some bare-bones campsites, many are spectacularly well-equipped. It doesn’t take much searching to find a campsite with everything you need – kitchen areas, shower blocks and electricity hookups included.

Youth hostels and local hotels

When it comes to accommodation, the next step up is youth hostels. You’ll find fantastic youth hostels all over the UK and they’re a great alternative to camping when you’re out adventuring. In many instances, youth hostels are set up in response to tourist demand for easy access to peaks, parks and natural landscapes. Yr Wyddfa is a great example. The YHA Pen-y-Pass is a remarkably popular place to stay because of the instant access it offers to the trailhead for the Pyg and Miner’s tracks. There are also a host of other YHA hostels operating throughout Eryri. You can find a complete list on the YHA website.

Finally, if you like things a little more luxurious, it’s always worth looking into locally-owned hotels. These are the least affordable type of accommodation available. However, it is possible to find the occasional bargain. As with any holiday accommodation, it’s best to book early, avoid peak travel periods and look for stays during the shoulder seasons if you want the best price.

Transport – arriving affordably

At the moment, organising affordable travel may be the most difficult part of travel planning. As keen environmentalists, we want to encourage everyone to leave their cars at home and travel by public transport. However, we also understand that things are tight right now and public transport is often more expensive than driving your own vehicle. While rising fuel prices mean that could change pretty soon, for now, driving yourself may be the most cost-efficient means of travelling to and from your destination. That being said, it’s always worth looking at alternatives and there are a few things you can do to try and minimise the cost of transport and travel.

Finding the cheapest public transport

The first thing to note is that, when it comes to public transport, you have plenty of options. While trains are often the most convenient option, they may not be the cheapest. Make sure you check coach companies, too. You’ll often find tickets at a fraction of the price you’ll pay for the same rail journey, though it may take slightly longer.

Second, try to book early, when prices are more reasonable, and use every tool at your disposal. If you travel by train regularly, the relevant railcard can save you significant amounts. Ticket search engines like the Trainline give you a good overview of ticket prices at different times of the day, while ticket-splitting sites break your journey down into smaller chunks to get you the best possible price.

Though you can’t bank on it always happening, it’s also good to know that you can claim money back if your train is delayed or late. Some service providers refund 29% of your ticket price if your train arrives at your destination anywhere between 15 and 29 minutes late. All service providers are legally obliged to offer a 50% refund for arrivals that are 30-60 minutes late and a full refund for any trains over an hour late. You can find more information on ticket refunds at Citizens Advice.

Making private transport more pocket and eco-friendly

While public transport is the preferred option for those who care about the environment, it’s not always affordable. If you travel to your destination by car, you can take a few steps to limit your impact and reduce costs. First, always travel with a full vehicle and minimise the number of vehicles your group uses. This might mean a few of you jumping on public transport and then getting picked up at a convenient en-route location.

Second, once you’re at your destination, try and use your car as little as possible. This is especially important during peak visitor periods, as more cars on the roads mean more traffic. Not only does this frustrate local residents, but it also makes for a less enjoyable experience for everyone. Many popular adventure destinations will have specialist transport infrastructure in place (like the Snowdon Sherpa bus service in Eryri) and local tourist information centres will always be able to provide information about regular bus and train services in the region.

What next?

Organising a budget-friendly adventure in the UK doesn’t need to be a painful experience. It can be just as exciting and interesting as traditional holiday planning. However, it does require a little more creativity and a willingness to plan in greater depth. The more you leave to chance, the more you’re likely to pay in the long run. To avoid panic buys and being in situations where you have no other option but to pay more than you would like, you need to plan ahead and make sure you’ve considered all aspects of the trip. If you would like to find out more about budget adventure in Eryri and around Yr Wyddfa, take a look at our other blogs and don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss how Climb Snowdon can help you.